Rudi Van Dantzig

Rudi van Dantzig was an internationally recognised pioneer of modern classical ballet, creating over 50 ballets in his lifetime. Born in Amsterdam in 1933, he started his dancing career in 1952 at Sonia Gaskell’s Ballet Recital. In 1955, he created his first ballet Night Island and in 1961, joined the newly established Dutch National Ballet as Resident Choreographer. In 1965 , he would become the artistic co-director of the Dutch National Ballet and then the sole director from 1971–91 where he created a number of original works. In 1991, he was made an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau and in 2002 was awarded the Benois de la Danse Lifetime Achievement Award.